Ground Zero View

[Oscar]

Ground Zero View

December 17, 2009

To no one's surprise, Energy Minister Mel Knight gave the green light to nuclear energy in Alberta. Like Bill-50, his decision does not reflect the will of Albertans.

PROVINCIAL SURVEYS - The Provincial survey took place in April and May of 2009 as part of the consultation process. 3600 residents took the time to educate themselves on nuclear issues in order to complete an extensive questionnaire. This survey showed 55% opposed nuclear energy, 28% supported it and 17% wanted it explored on a case by case basis. These were not the results Mel Knight wanted so he decreed that the results of this survey were not "statistically valid".

Instead, he commissioned a telephone survey in July of 1024 people who knew virtually nothing about nuclear energy. 45% of respondents wanted nuclear explored on a case-by-case basis, 28% were against it and 19% supported it. This is the survey he is using to justify Albertans support for nuclear power. He dismissed the opinions of 3600 well-informed people in favour 1024 uninformed ones.

PUBLIC DOLLARS - Mel Knight's vow that no public dollars would be invested in any nuclear project is pure nonsense. Taxpayers are required to pay for the cost of transmission lines from Peace River to Edmonton if the nuclear reactors are built. There is no other reason to build this line. The construction and operation of the nuclear reactors will double the size of Peace River. Taxpayers will be on the hook for the infrastructure that has to be built. This in itself would be several billion dollars. Paying for power lines and infrastructure are both direct subsidies to Bruce Power.

SIGNS - After six months in their current locations, the anti-nuclear signs are an issue. Two days after Mel Knight's announcement, the Transportation Ministry ordered the local public works contractor to remove the anti-nuclear signs starting at the Dixonville store. The RCMP are currently investigating the matter. Transport also ordered us to remove the anti-nuclear truck at Weberville the day after we presented Frank Oberle with a cake and a list of questions. The Province is trying to "sanitize" the community in advance of a tour of high-level executives brought in to finance the nuclear project.

NEXT STEPS - The following will be taking place in January.
- The Mile Zero News will be conducting an eight-wek long nuclear debate in the paper starting in January.
- We will be holding a bottle drive on January 9th.
- We've arranged to have Frank Oberle at the Weberville Hall at seven o'clock on January 15 to answer your questions.
- The "Full Moon Fundraiser" will be held on January 30.

MUNICIPAL - We have a slate of candidates committed to running in MD 22 against the current councillors in the upcoming municipal election. The 85% of MD 22 residents who oppose nuclear will determine the next council. They will choose our next MLA as well.

Mel Knight is consistent. His justification for proceeding with nuclear power is just as fraudulent as the Expert Nuclear Power Report his ministry released earlier this year. It is this kind of performance that led Neil Waugh of the Edmonton Sun to comment about Mr. Knight: "Mel Knight may have won the race to the bottom with Environment Minister Rob Renner as the PCs' worst cabinet minister." (Edmonton Sun, July 2008)

Enjoy Christmas and the holiday season! See you in the new year.

Weberville Area Connection and Earth Alternatives

[Oscar]

GROUND ZERO VIEWS - May 2, 2010

Weberville Area Connection and Earth Alternatives

“The nuclear plant will not be built if the community doesn’t want it”. All three levels of government, Bruce Power and the CNSC (nuclear regulator) have said it repeatedly, yet none of them have defined the community that will make that decision.

We asked our MP Chris Warkentin at our February 13 meeting to define the community that will be considered. Mr. Warkentin responded: “When we first met, when the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) first met with me, you know they ran down all the parameters and they talked about the community, the willingness of the community to host this type of ah …. There’s a whole process in terms of that. I’m certain that they do have that. And I’m sorry I don’t have the technical, you know, their technical description of it, but certainly, they have very solid…The Commission. They have very solid marching orders that they are not allowed a plant to be built in a community that’s not willing”. (meeting was recorded)

At our insistence, Mr. Warkentin agreed to ask the CNSC to define the community, on our behalf. CNSC President Michael Binder wrote: “As I have stated publicly on other occasions, a social licence and accepting host community are integral for any successful licence application, but the CNSC does not determine whether a community is a “willing host community”. - that is for licensees, and municipal and provincial governments to determine”.

Shortly after getting the CNSC letter (April 22), three of us visited Albert Cooper at Bruce Power and asked him who would designate the boundaries of the community. Mr. Cooper told us that “it would all be done during the environmental assessment (EA) under the CNSC”.

MLA Frank Oberle responded: “With regards to the issue of "community" I do not know the answer to this question, other than to say I do not see how the Province would define this - we do not regulate or approve nuclear energy. I invite you to ask this question of the CNSC representatives when they visit the area soon”.

The County of Northern Lights had the following comment: “As far as what measure will be used to define a willing community – are you asking what the county will use to measure, or is this something you should be asking the CNSC at the public meetings next week. We (the county) define community in previous discussions regarding strategic planning, not specific to nuclear power – council determined that community is the County as a whole”.

Our three governments and Bruce Power thought the CNSC was responsible for defining and proving that this is a “willing host community” yet the CNSC said the opposite. This is the most important consideration for this project and no one is dealing with it!

MP Warkentin’s muddled answer was classic “political BS” and completely false. Albert Cooper was wrong and MLA Oberle admitted his ignorance of the issue. This is what we’ve come to expect from both of them. The County of Northern Lights was the only one of the five that defined community: “council determined that community is the County as a whole”. This project hinges on whether the community wants it or not. Yet, none of the main players have done a thing about it. Who the hell is looking after us?

The “community” must be defined to allow us time to educate them before they have to make a decision. Local residents have been falsely told that all their questions will be answered during the environmental assessment. In reality, there’s no opportunity during the entire regulatory process to have your questions answered by the regulator or Bruce Power. There will be two opportunities for residents to submit comments, but neither will be replied to.

The CNSC’s May 4-5 visit to Manning and Peace River should be attended by anyone concerned about nuclear power. This may be the only time the CNSC ever comes to Alberta on this issue. The CNSC can decree that ALL hearings will be held in Ottawa.

Bruce Power recently asked Albertans to subsidize nuclear power with a guaranteed power price for the next thirty years. Welcome to the new NEP; the Nuclear Energy Program. It’s a slightly different name but Albertans still get screwed by an industry and its regulator based in Ottawa.

Taxpayers will pay billions for the transmission lines to connect the Peace River reactors to the grid. There is no other reason to build them. Further billions will be required for infrastructure to double the size of Peace River. Our electricity costs will double to California’s level as mandated by provisions in the NAFTA Agreement. Now, they want price guarantees. I’m sure the farmers, loggers and other energy providers would as well.

The stench coming from all three levels of government over the nuclear project just keeps getting worse. MP Chris Warkentin is caught in a web of lies trying to hide the CNSC’s secret meetings while implicating First Nations officials in his deception. Our MLA Frank Oberle was caught using his political clout to get Alberta Transportation to target our signs and silence our protest. Our municipal government’s legacy of secret meetings, broken promises and biased representation is pathetic.

In the past week, we’ve filed formal complaints against all of them and we will begin to publicize their misdeeds through print and on signs. Mr. Warkentin can expect the people in his congregation to get an account of his conduct before too long. He may have a little trouble reconciling his Christian beliefs with the lies we have documented. Other politicians and bureaucrats can expect similar attention.

There is no business case that can be made for the nuclear project, nor does Bruce Power have a business plan after two and a half years. Dragging this on doesn’t affect Bruce Power in Ontario but it’s having a severe impact on the quality of people’s lives in this area. Lives are on hold until the decision is made. Do the right thing for once and send Bruce Power back to Ontario.

Let the residents of our community resume their lives and try to patch up the divisions Bruce Power caused. Our community has been turned upside down for long enough. If Bruce Power doesn’t leave, the politicians, bureaucrats, the CNSC and Bruce Power are going to have a long, hot summer.

Weberville Area Connection and Earth Alternatives
entwork@hotmail.com
Box 153, North Star, Alberta, T0H 2T0